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Our trees are in desperate need of a new truck. Our current one, donated by Carl and Anne Little several years ago, is on its last legs, held up with chewing gum and bailing wire (and a recent $4,000 engine overhaul that’s a temporary fix). Two donors–Atlantic Builders and a family that would like to donate anonymously–have already pledged a total of $3,000 in matching funds through the May 3 Community Give, which will get us one-tenth of the way to our goal of buying this $30,000 relatively new, used Ford F-250, which we need for hauling around our heavy water tank for watering trees, and to pull a trailer loaded with new trees for delivery to planting areas. Please give what you can on May 3–and by donating on that day, you’ll help put us in a position to raise even more through incentive prizes during the Community Give!

If you saw the front page of the Free Lance-Star on Tuesday, Jan. 5, you know about the forum regarding the trees on Washington Avenue Mall. A group of people has initiated a petition asking for the removal of all the trees that have been planted on the center area of the mall on Washington Avenue, most of which were planted over the past several years by Tree Fredericksburg volunteers, with approval from the city.

The petitioners believe that the trees block the view of their houses, that the trees will distract from the monuments, and that Washington Avenue Mall should be an open grassland without trees. We obviously disagree, and feel that the right trees appropriately planted—approximately the same number of trees as were on the mall back in 1980—will enhance the beauty of the mall, while also preserving plenty of green space and the important sightlines for visitors and residents alike.

The forum will be held by the City of Fredericksburg on Monday, Jan. 25 from 7 to 9 p.m. at the Dorothy Hart Center. At the forum there will be a 15 minute presentation by the City and also a 15 minute presentation by the folks who drafted the petition. After the presentations, public comments will be allowed (2 minutes each).

You’re welcome to attend the meeting and voice your opinion on this issue, and if you can’t attend, there will be an opportunity to post comments online regarding the trees. If you wish to sign up in advance to speak at the meeting, send an email to Dave King, assistant director of public works, at dking@fredericksburgva.gov, and ask to be put on the speakers list for the forum. It is important that you do this quickly. There will only be a limited number of speakers allowed.

If you do not live in the City, pleas pass this email on to your friends who do. If you work, shop or eat in the City, please comment as a person who brings economic benefit to our city. And if you have any questions, feel free to email us at treefred@cox.net.

Poor soil, not enough rain, angry drunks breaking tree limbs, BEAVERS! Tree Fredericksburg has planted nearly 5,000 trees in the City of Fredericksburg over the past seven years, and we have plans to plant another 5,000 to increase the city’s tree canopy by 5 percent over the next seven years. But planting trees also means taking proper care of them—and that takes money. Which is where you come in.

Here at year’s end, consider a donation to Tree Fredericksburg to help us combat lousy soil with proper mulching, not enough rain with regular watering, and beavers with protective fencing. (Unfortunately there’s not much we can do about those angry drunks breaking off tree limbs—or sometimes worse—except spread the word that the community won’t tolerate that sort of thing.)

The City of Fredericksburg and various grants cover most of the cost of the trees themselves, and the initial plantings, and the equipment we need to get the trees properly in the ground. It’s up to the rest of us to make sure our trees not only survive, but also thrive, and provide everybody who lives here with a higher quality of life. Trees soak up air pollution and storm water runoff. They provide shade and lower utility bills. They increase property values–and they’re nice to look at.

As we gear up for our spring and fall plantings in 2016, take a look at the 5,000 trees Tree Fredericksburg’s hundreds of volunteers have planted over these past seven years, then take a look at your checkbook and consider an end of the year gift to help us continue to raise them right.

You can access our PAYPAL ACCOUNT and make a donation, or if you’d prefer, you can mail a check to Tree Fredericksburg, 726 William St., Fredericksburg, VA 22401. Tree Fred is a 501(c)3 nonprofit.

Thanks for thinking of Tree Fredericksburg, and especially thanks for being a friend to trees.

These members of the Rho-Chi chapter of Kappa Sigma fraternity from the University of Mary Washington were among the 61 volunteers who showed up to plant trees in the rain in the Mayfield neighborhood on Saturday, November 7. It was our last planting of the fall, and a couple of the Rho-Chi planting groups serenaded us the whole time, even though, from the looks of them, they’d been up all night the night before studying. Many thanks to them, and to the UMW tennis teams, who also turned out in force, and to all the rest of our intrepid volunteers.

Meanwhile, not to be outdone, 22 volunteers from Tree Fred and the Main Street Initiative got up bright and early on Friday, November 6 to fill all the downtown Fredericksburg planters with miniature Christmas trees, helping get the city ready for the holiday season. Thanks to all who showed up for that as well. See you all in the spring!

How fantastic to have such dedicated volunteers that we’re literally full up for our next planting. We had an amazing turnout for the October 31 planting at Sunshine Ballpark as well–a LOT of folks showing up to show a LOT of love for trees. If you’ve already signed up for the Saturday, November 7 planting in Mayfield, we look forward to seeing you at 9 a.m. sharp. 57 trees. Should take us about two hours. It’s our last volunteer planting of the fall. Thanks to everybody who turned out this year to help. We’re at 5,000 trees and counting! Stay tuned for more tree plantings in the spring.

Our next two plantings will be HUGE, as a certain presidential candidate might say. Saturday, Oct. 17 we’ll be planting near the Falmouth Bridge, gathering at 2701 Princess Anne Street, and planting trees from 9 a.m. until noon–or whenever we finish, which is usually around 11. On Saturday, Oct. 24 we’ll be planting nearly 70 trees at Old Mill Park, also from 9-noon. The address there is 2217 Caroline Street. That planting is supported by a Restoration Grant from the CSX Corporation, which is being administered by ACTrees–the Alliance for Community Trees–focusing on riparian restoration at Old Mill. Email treefred@cox.net if you or your organization or business would like to join us.